Orphic Egg Album Discography
 By David Edwards, Patrice Eyries, Mike Callahan, Randy Wood and Tim Neelt
 Last update: June 17, 2012





Orphic Egg was a subsidiary label for London Records which was formed in 1972 and lasted about a year. The label was formed to try to capture classical music for the counterculture youth of the time (often called "heads"). Liner notes were written by hip rock critics respected by the youth.

The Orphic Egg is an ancient Greek tradition, a cosmic egg from whence sprang life. On the back of each album, just below the logo, it said, "The Orphic Egg has cracked many times. Once when it cracked out sprang" ... and fill in the title of the LP: The Musical Head, Beethoven's Head, etc.

The series did not sell well, so after 18 catalog numbers (four of which were apparently not issued), London quietly folded the label. In fact, few enough copies sold that today it's difficult to find copies that were not giveaways (bb holes) or cutouts (clipped album jacket corners).


The Orphic Egg label was yellow with black print, with the Orphic Egg logo at the top. Around the edge of the label were two concentric thin black rings, between which was a brown band.



We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Orphic Egg or London Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2012 by Mike Callahan.



ORPHIC EGG ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover
Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents


Orphic Egg ORS 6900 Series:

OES 6900 - The Musical Head - Various Artists [1972] Mozart: The Magic Flute Overture - Georg Solti & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Movement 2 (Enemy God And Dance Of Black Spirits) - Ernest Ansermet & L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande/Prokofiev: Scythian Suite, Movement 4 (Glorious Departure Of Lolly And Procession Of The Sun) - Ernest Ansermet & L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande/Prokofiev: Romeo And Juliet (Aubade) - Claudio Abbado & the London Symphony Orchestra/Bach: Magnificat (Opening Chorus) - Karl Münchinger & the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Bach: French Suite No. 5 (Gigue) - George Malcolm/Bach: Cantata No. 31 (Sonata) - Ernest Ansermet & L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande//Beethoven: Coriolanus Overture - Ernest Ansermet & L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande/Stravinsky: Petrushka (Shrovetide Fair, Evening) - Pierre Monteux & the Paris Conservatory Orchestra/Ravel: Alborada Del Gracioso - Rafael Fruhbeck De Burgos & the New Philharmonia Orchestra

OES 6901 - Mahler's Head - Georg Solti and Chicago Symphony Orchestra [1972] No. 7: Movement 3 (Scherzo)/No. 5: Movement 4 (Adagietto)/No. 8: Part 2, Excerpt/No. 6 Movement 4 (Finale)

OES 6902 - Bach's Head - Various Artists [1972] Cantata No. 31 Sonata - L'Orchestra de La Suisse Romande/French Suite No. 5 Gigue - George Malcolm/Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 - English Chamber Orchestra/Christmas Oratorio - Karl Muchinger, Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Toccata in D - George Malcolm/Suite No. 2 London Symphony Orchestra//Magnificat - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Suite No. 3 L'Orchestra de Las Suisse Romande/Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue - George Malcolm/Easter Oratorio - Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Well Tempered Clavier - Wilhelm Backhaus

OES 6903 - Mozart's Head - Various Artists [1972] Magic Flute Overture./Serenade For 13 Wind Instruments: Adagio./Piano Concerto No. 23: Movement 3./German Dance No. 1 From K. 567./Minuet No. 1 From K. 601. Symphony No. 35 (Haffner) : Finale./March In D, K. 335, No. 1./Symphony No. 40: Movement 1./Dance No. 3 From K. 605./Haffner Serenade: Andante./Piano Sonata K. 310: Movement 3./Symphony No. 41 (Jupiter): Movement 4

OES 6904 - Beethoven's Head - Various Artists [1972] Prometheus Overture/Symphony No. 7: Movement 4/Piano Concerto No. 1: Movement 3 (With W. Backhaus)/Symphony No. 8 Movement 2/Symphony No. 3: Movement 3/Coriolanus Overture/Symphony No. 5: Movement 2/Symphony No. 4: Movement 4/Egmont: Zwischenakt No. 4

OES 6905 - Ravel's Head - Various Artists [1972] Daphnis And Chloe, Suite No. 2 - Zubin Mehta & the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra/Gaspard De La Nuit-Ondine - Vladimir Ashkenazy, Piano/Alborada Del Gracioso - Rafael Frühbeck De Burgos & New Philharmonia Orchestra//Concerto For The Left Hand - Istvan Kertesz & the London Symphony Orchestra (Julius Katchen, Piano)/La Valse - Ernest Ansemet & L'Orchestre De La Suisse Romande

OES 6906 - Prokofiev's Head - Ernest Ansermet and Orchestre de la Suisse Romande [1972] Scythian Suite/Piano Sonata No. 8: Movement 1, Recapitulation/Symphony No. 5: Movement 4/Symphony No. 1 (Classical): Movement 1/Prodigal Son: Andante Assai/Violin Concerto No. 1: Movement 2/Romeo And Juliet: Dance; Quarrel; Aubade/Cinderella: Midnight

OES 6907 - Stravinsky's Head - Various Artists [1972] Circus Polka/The Rite Of Spring: Sacrifice/The Fairy's Kiss: Valse/The Firebird: Infernal Dance/Petrushka: Shrovetide Fair, Evening/Symphony In C: 3rd Movement/Pulcinella: Tarantella; Toccata; Gavotta; Vivo; Finale

OES 6908

OES 6909 - Bach's Organ Music - Karl Richter [1972] Toccata And Fugue In D Minor/Fantasia And Fugue In G Minor/Prelude And Fugue In E Minor/Passacaglia And Fugue In C Minor

OES 6910 - Mussorgsky's Head - Various Artists [1972] Boris Godunov: Chorus Slava Slava - Herbert Von Karajan & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Boris Godunov: Chorus Sidnem Sidet Dumu Dumayet - Herbert Von Karajan & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Boris Godunov: Chorus Slave Tebye - Herbert Von Karajan & the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra/Pictures at an Exhibition: Ballet of Unhatched Chicks - Vladimir Ashkenazy/Khovanshchina Prelude - Georg Solti & the London Symphony Orchestra/Night on Bald Mountain - George Solti & the London Symphony Orchestra//Pictures at an Exhibition - Zubin Mehta & the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra

OES 6911 - Debussy's Head - Various Artists [1973] Nuages/Fe tes/Petite Suite. 1st Movement En Bateau/Les Tierces Alterness/Ma Mer. Dialogue Du Vent Et La Mer/Pre lude A L'apre s-Midi D'un Faune/Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'oeust/Gigues/Rondes De Printemps

OES 6912

OES 6913 - Edgar Varèse: Arcana/Intégrales/Ionisation - Zubin Mehta and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra [1973] Arcana//Intégrales/Ionisation

OES 6914

OES 6915 - Scriabin - Various Artists [1973] The Poem of Ecstasy - Mehta and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra//Prometheus: The Poem of Fire - Ashkenazy, Maazel and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

OES 6916

OES 6917 - The Baroque Head - Various Artists [1973] Pachelbel: Canon in D - Karl Münchinger & the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Bach: French Suite No. 5 - George Malcolm/Corelli: Christmas Concerto No. 2/Handel: Concerto Grosso No. 9, Op. 6 - Neville Marriner & Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields/Bach: Suite No. 3 (Air) - Ernest Ansermet & L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Bach: Concerto for 4 Harpsichords//Vivaldi: Concerto for Guitar (Narcisco Yepes) - Odon Alonso & the National Orchestra of Spain/Ricciotti: Concerto No. 2 - Karl Münchinger & the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Bach: French Suite No. 5 (Courante) - George Malcolm/Pergolesi: Flute Concerto No. 1 - Jean-Pierre Rampal, Karl Münchinger & the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra/Bach: French Suite No. 5 (Gavotte) - George Malcolm/Glück: Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Pierre Monteux & the London Symphony Orchestra/Handel: Concerto Grosso No. 4, Op. 6 - Neville Marriner & the Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields





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